Before getting started, I’d like to point out again that all these examples could just be personal character traits, flaws, habits, beliefs, or senses of humor and that not all Japanese people act the same way. In fact, I found one to be quite rude and atypical. There are no generalizations because the people quoted in this article dated different people from different countries and they all have their own personalities. So, keep that in mind!

So, don’t be upset if an example related to your nationality and it doesn’t match with the way you think or feel! I’m not taking a jab at your country, and everyone knows that every person in the world has different experiences. Let’s just have some fun with this and maybe learn something along the way.

Is It True That Japanese Men Pay For Women?

In Japan, many people still believe that men paying for women is point of good manners and Koichi talked about this in What It’s Like A Dating a Japanese Guy as well. In fact, some guys even feel insulted, or that their pride was just given a ‘low-blow’, if a woman insists that she should pay for herself. This is standard dating-conduct for men in Japan. So, if you are a non-Japanese girl out on your first date with a Japanese guy, insisting to pay your half may be more hurtful than helpful to his pride.

But wait a minute! This has been changing quite a lot actually, especially amongst the newer generation of couples. Nowadays, many men wish more women would help pay for the date tab. It’s also more common for men to ask women to contribute somewhere between 20-30%. If at no point does the woman offer to pay for something, then the man may actually be lead to believe that she is not a generous or thoughtful person!

According to a research study conducted by Sankei Digital and Sankei Living from December 19, 2012 to January 15, 2013, about 70% of 169 Japanese women still prefer to be paid for while on the date. Actually, this research made many Japanese men upset to the point where they cried out “Where the heck is man-woman equality!?” I guess to be safe you should at least offer to pay, and hopefully they will reject your offer (if you didn’t want to pay)? With these ideas changing so rapidly, be careful not to step on any hurt-feelings landmines.

Men Of The Younger Generation (Kids These Days!)

Japanese men who have been educated throughout school and from societal constructs about ‘the equality of men and women’ often question the male’s responsibilities. In this article, of course that means paying for things like restaurant bills and such. I came across an interview from a man who was dating his coworker. The interview was conducted by Fukuishinbun.

In the interview, he complained that he pays a little more than his girlfriend when they go out on a date, even though the receive the same payment from their company. He believes that they should pay the same amount if their payment is exactly the same.

This change in Japanese men’s thinking was also brough up last year by a Chinese woman who was dating a Japanese guy. On their first date, they split the bill and this made her so upset that she wrote down her complaints on her blog. What she wrote took the online news sources by storm.

I had no idea why I had to pay because it was a date with my boyfriend. In China, or at least in Zhejiang where I am from, the man pays for practically everything while on dates. I’d say that the restaurant bill should be almost 100%. In fact, if a woman pays, she risks being hated by her boyfriend.

It’s not only this Chinese girl, though. Another Chinese girl (劉), a Korean girl (ハン) and an anonymous Laotian girl were also all surprised that their Japanese boyfriends didn’t pay for them. As for ハン, she was so upset when her boyfriend tried to split the bill for a ラブホテル (Love hotel) that she left him in anger.

I’m not sure about how old the Japanese guys were, but all three of these women are in their late teens and early twenties, so I assume they were dating guys who would be considered to be part of the “younger” generation. The older generation of men still expect that men should pay for women… however, younger generations are changing, so it may be best to be flexible on that stereotype.

Furthermore, one anonymous Japanese guy dating a British woman was often told by her: “I can’t believe Japanese women. They allow men to split bills because they don’t have confidence in themselves!” He used to split the bill when he was dating Japanese women, but he had to change his mind after hearing that line, at least for her. Over time, be began to get annoyed with what she said because she repeatedly complained about Japanese women who allow men to split the bill. It’s possible that the myth that all Japanese men prefer paying for everything may not have a long life if he felt this way.

Women That Prefer To Be Paid For

Like the above research suggested, many Japanese women still believe that their portion of the cost of a date should still be paid for. I also know of many Japanese girls who believe that men should always pay for women and that women should only date men who pay for them. @ya is maybe one of them and was surprised at how differently things are done in the UK.

In England, there is the concept that ‘give and take’ between a man and a woman should be equal. Regardless of whether or not it is a first date or a date between a couple with a long lasting relationship, it is pretty common to split the bill. Actually, just as a side point, you may want to be weary of a guy who insists on paying for you on the first date as it might be a sign that he is looking for a chance to sleep with you. Anyhow, I personally get annoyed by the person who puts forth so much effort to split the bill perfectly down the middle. (Hold on a second, let me root around the bottom of my purse for the 4 pennies I owe you.)

Yamaihimiko dated an American guy and she mentioned that he fronted the bill for everything, whereas inokay1123, who dated a few American men in the past, said that they all wished to split the bill and she stopped seeing them because of that. Actually, she brought up an interesting thing.

Just like many Japanese people do, I offered to pay my own bill to show my appreciation and gestured that I would hand over my money. Then, they just simply accepted it.

So, if you’re a guy who is seeking the chance to date a Japanese woman, you may want to question yourself when she poses this option. If she does offer to pay, maybe you should just say, “Don’t worry. It’s on me.” There’s a chance she’s not actually wanting to pay for half of the bill, but she’s just doing so to be polite.

Although some Japanese women complain that their international boyfriend doesn’t pay their bill, one anonymous woman who was dating a man from Thailand was very impressed. The whole bill was on him, even when she took her sister or friends. Apparently, it’s even pretty common for Thai men to borrow money from their friends before going on a date to help pay for it. It’s also normal for men to either provide their girlfriends with a ride to work, school, or accompany them to their destination, but it depends on his income as the transportation can change from bus to motorcycle to taxi to car to hovercraft.

It Doesn’t Bother Me!

As for me, personally, sure I like free food, but I didn’t care whether my boyfriend paid for me or not every time. Even now that I’m married it doesn’t matter… though that might be because there is only one wallet (our wallet). I had an ex-boyfriend who suggested that we decide who pays the bill by playing rock-paper-scissors. I accepted and from there on out we always decided that way. I found it pretty fair and kind of fun, too. While dating my Canadian husband, sometimes he would pay for me and other times I would pay for myself. It didn’t bother me, especially because I knew that I was making more money than him at the time, haha!

So, now you see that it’s not so black and white. While it’s still very much standard for the older generations to pay for a woman’s meals and date, the younger generation is changing. Some girls still expect it, other girls do not. Same with guys too. Best thing you can do if you’re a non-Japanese person dating a Japanese person is to be sure and offer if you’re a girl and attempt to reject payment offers if you’re a guy. It’s basic manners, anyways.

How does your country work in regards to this topic? Or, have you had experiences with Japanese women / men when it comes to paying for the date?

Chinese Origins

China has been using chopsticks since 1200 BC, maybe even earlier. The first known sets were made of bronze and were mainly used for cooking as they were handy for reaching into boiling pots of oil or water. It wasn’t until 400 AD that people started eating with the things and then by 500 AD or so, chopsticks had spread all over Asia.

China also experienced a population boom around this time which forced folks to start pinching pennies (or yuan, if you prefer). Chinese people started using chopsticks because with more people there was less fuel, and with less fuel there was less fire. In order to cook things more quickly, people would cut their food up into smaller pieces to cook them faster. Can you guess what was just perfect for picking up smaller pieces of food? That’s right – the chopstick.

Since food was more or less already bite sized at this point, knives started to serve much less of a purpose at the dinner table. Confucius also played a part in the popularization of chopsticks as an eating utensil in China. Confucius believed that sharp utensils like knives had no place at the dinner table. He thought that knives represented things like violence and warfare which did not go along with the feeling of joy and contentment he believed should be present at every meal.

Chopsticks In Japan

So chopsticks in China really got popular around 500 AD. How long did the chopstick craze take to get to Japan? Well, the oldest official records of chopsticks being used in Japan is from the Kojiki, written in 712AD, but they probably made it over there even sooner than that. Chinese culture made its way over to Japan through Korea earlier than that, and the chopsticks were sure to have been one of the things that made it over.

In the beginning, chopsticks were only used in Japanese ceremonies. These early Japanese chopsticks were made from bamboo and were joined at the top, kind of like those “trainer” chopsticks you see today.

Gradually these chopsticks made their way into the home and became used for eating on a regular basis. The first recorded instances of separated chopsticks being used for normal eating don’t show up until 10th century Japan, but like before, people were probably doing this for a long time in some areas before someone thought it was a good idea to actually write down “Hey guys, we’re using chopsticks to eat with now, k?”

Japanese Chopsticks Vs. The World’s

From top to bottom: Plastic chopsticks from Taiwan, porcelain chopsticks from mainland China, bamboo chopsticks from Tibet, Vietnamese style palmwood chopsticks from Indonesia, stainless flat chopsticks from Korea with spoon, a Japanese couple’s set, Japanese child’s chopsticks, and disposables

Did you know that not all chopsticks are alike? There are distinct differences between Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese chopsticks.

Japanese chopsticks are usually shorter than other chopsticks and taper to a fine point. They are traditionally made of bamboo or wood and are often lacquered. Japanese chopsticks also come in kid sizes and woman sizes which are even shorter than standard sizes. Bento sized chopsticks, which fit inside of bento boxes, can also be quite short and sometimes made of colorful plastic.

In Korea, chopsticks are a medium length with a flat rectangular shape. They are traditionally made from brass or silver and are used simultaneously with a spoon.

Chinese chopsticks are longer and thicker than both Japanese and Korean chopsticks. They have squared or rounded sides and end in blunt, flat tips. They can be made from many materials but are most commonly made from melamine plastic or lacquered bamboo.

Vietnamese chopsticks are usually longer than most. These chopsticks taper to a blunt point like Chinese ones and are traditionally made from lacquered wood or bamboo.

In Japan, the lacquered wood tradition started in the 17th century. The extravagant had their chopsticks made from jade, gold, ivory, or silver. Speaking of fancy, if you want a nice set of chopsticks to go with your fine tableware, Kyoto is considered the center of chopstick design. In terms of production, 85% of the country’s chopsticks are made in nearby Obama, Fukui Prefecture.

But it’s not all fancy pants chopsticks in Japan. In 1878, Japan produced the world’s first disposable chopsticks, and today China and Japan use the majority of them. China is responsible for using 45 billion disposable chopsticks a year. Japan is about half of that at 24 billion.

A lot of deforestation has been linked to disposable chopsticks, so hopefully something here changes soon. You do see a lot more “bring your own chopsticks” holders on sale in Japan these days. They’re kind of like travel toothbrush holders, but instead of a toothbrush, you have chopsticks. Still, that might not be enough so I hope people become more aware. Tell all your friends!

How to Use Chopsticks in Japan

Different countries have different rules for chopstick etiquette, so if you want to impress people with your chopstick skills and knowledge in Japan, here’s what you need to know.

• You should hold your chopsticks towards their back end, not in the middle or the front third. “Choking up” on your chopsticks is a surefire way to look like a noob.
• You also shouldn’t spear food with your chopsticks, point or wave them around, or move bowls around with them. I feel like lots of people do this anyway though, even native Japanese people.
• To separate a larger piece of food, you’d exert controlled pressure on the chopsticks while moving them apart from each other. Controlled pressure is the important part. You don’t want to end up flicking your food halfway across the room.
• Food should not be directly transferred from your chopsticks to someone else’s. Transferring directly with chopsticks is how bones are passed as part of Japanese funeral rites, so it’s not viewed as good practice at the dinner table. Unless you’re a cannibal, then maybe it’s okay. Maybe.
• Chopsticks also shouldn’t be crossed on a table, as this symbolizes death, or vertically stuck in the rice, which is another funeral practice. See how these manners relate back to chopsticks that were originally only used in Japanese ceremonies?
• The pointed ends of the chopsticks should be placed on a chopstick rest when they’re not being used. If a chopstick rest is not available and you’re using disposable chopsticks, you can make a chopstick rest by folding the paper sleeve they came in. You could also rest it on a plate or lay it on top of a bowl. Just don’t stab it into anything!
• Chopsticks should be placed horizontally with the tips on the left. Any other orientation would make you look like a hooligan.

If you’ve been to Japan before, I’m sure you will have noticed that not everyone commonly adheres to all of these chopstick rules (I’ve seen it happen plenty of times), but I think they’re good to be aware of just in case you find yourself in a super formal chopstick using situation. Wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself!

Speaking of embarrassing yourself, for some good tips on how not to do this, I’d recommend checking out our guide on How to Save Yourself from Embarrassment in Japan and How to be a Baka Gaijin while Eating. You’ll learn a lot, I promise.

Modern Iterations

Chopsticks have had quite the journey. But it’s not over yet! Chopsticks are always evolving and changing even though the basic purpose remains the same. Check out some of these modern iterations.

Always find yourself needing chopsticks when there are none to be found? Store some in your glasses! Problem solved!

Don’t wear glasses? No problem! Store these collapsible chopsticks in your bag or pocket!

Remember those “trainer” chopsticks that were mentioned before? Well here’s an example of what some of those look like. Cute, huh?

So, are you a chopstick master? Do you remember what it was like the first time you used chopsticks? When I was growing up I used to always eat rice and pasta dishes with chopsticks because I thought it was cool. Luckily this helped me not embarrass myself while at Asian restaurants and while studying abroad in Japan. I was prepared.

Have any interesting chopstick related stories? Share them in the comments!

Bonus Wallpapers!

[2560x1600] • [1280x800] • [1280x800 Animated] • [700x438 Animated]

Sites Referenced:
Wikipedia.com
History.com

The Meaning and Origin of Itadakimasu

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnOXmcKC0Cw']

Some of you may recognize the girl in the above video as Hiroko from HirokoChannel who was featured in our Awesome Japanese YouTubers post. She also does some stuff for JapanesePod101, and this video does a great job of summing up the origin of the word itadakimasu and how it came to be used as it is today.

As Japan has a healthy background of Buddhist culture, it’s not surprising that itadakimasu is also related to the Buddhist principle of respecting all living things. Before meals, itadakimasu is said as a thanks to the plants and animals that gave their lives for the meal you’re about to consume. It also thanks all those involved, ranging from the hunter/farmer to the preparer of the meal.

How to Use Itadakimasu

In Japan, it’s common to say itadakimasu before eating a meal. The word itadakimasu is often translated as “I humbly receive,” but when relating to food, it’s often compared to saying “Let’s eat,” “Bon appétit,” or “Thanks for the food.” Some even compare it to the Christian tradition of saying grace before a meal.

It’s not unusual for everyone to say itadakimasu together, but it’s just as common for people to say it individually or quietly to themselves before digging in. A proper itadakimasu, however, is performed with clasped hands and a slight bow.

Why You Should Always Clean Your Plate in Japan

In Japan, it’s considered wasteful not to finish your plate. This is related to the Buddhist philosophy that all life is sacred. If you are really sincere about that itadakimasu you said, you should eat all your food. Since something gave up its life for your meal, it’s kind of disrespectful to let it go to waste. And speaking of disrespectful, here’s a list of other things to avoid while at the Japanese dinner table.

As Japanese portion sizes are relatively small, few people have trouble finishing their plate. I’m sure your parents have told you at least once to eat all your food, but in Japan, it’s even more important since they are mindful of the entire process that went into bringing the food to the table.

Other Uses

Itadakimasu has other uses as well. Not only can you use it before eating a meal, but you can also use it when you accept something from someone. With the literal translation being, “I humbly receive,” this makes perfect sense. For example, if someone gives you a gift, or if you take a free sample of something at a counter in a store, you can use itadakimasu. Pretty much anytime you are receiving something, itadakimasu can apply.

To get a better feel for when it’s appropriate to use itadakimasu outside of food related situations, you can always watch some J-dramas or anime and pay attention to when itadakimasu is said. You’ll catch on in no time.

So, did you learn something new today, or did you already know all about itadakimasu? It’s an important word to know in Japanese, so I hope this helped your understanding of it. Are there any other Japanese words or phrases that don’t quite make enough sense to you? Let us know in the comments!

[Header Image]

Walking While Talking

Just like it is on trains in Japan, having loud conversations on your cell phone while out and about is kinda rude. While those on vehicles will usually resort to the much more polite act of texting, if one gets a call on a busy street, it’s not unusual for them to take it aside to a more secluded area as to not bother others with their babbling.

I’ve always thought this was kind of strange though. It’s not very different from if you were just walking down the street with a friend and chatting it up with them. Maybe it’s just the idea that everyone around you only hears one side of the conversation and that is viewed as rude. It makes sense to me when people are on the train though because usually the trains are super quiet, so anyone talking loudly really stands out.

Walking While Smoking

One of the most profound discoveries I made while in Japan was how clean their streets and sidewalks were compared to those in America. One of the biggest offenders as far as litter goes in the US is cigarette butts. They’re everywhere. I never really noticed it until I got back from Japan and actually started paying attention to them. In most cities you can’t go more than a few steps without seeing another discarded cigarette. It’s sad, really. However this is not the case in Japan.

Smoking and walking is one of the biggest taboos while out and about in Japan. In some places, it’s even illegal. When you think about it though, it really makes sense. How many times have you been walking down the sidewalk and someone in front of you lights one up? You can either keep walking at your normal pace and deal with the fallout from the chimney in front of you, or you can speed up and overtake them. Either way, it’s kind of annoying. Now imagine this situation in a crowded area like Tokyo. Secondhand smoke all over the place.

Another reason is that with it being so crowded it becomes easy to accidentally bump into someone with your lit cigarette. If you bump into another adult, you might burn a hole in their clothes, or scorch the skin on their arms. And it’s even worse if you happen to bump into a small child. You run the risk of burning their face or getting hot ash in their eyes. Definitely not a pleasant experience.

So part of the reason that there are so few discarded cigarettes in Japan is because people are highly discouraged to smoke while on the move. Another reason is because of the many designated smoke areas that exist in Japan. They are places away from traffic where smokers can light up, smoke, and discard their cigs in special containers. I know we have things like this in the States as well, but how many people will really take the time to use them for smoking a cigarette? Not many.

While this is great and all, Japan unfortunately forgot to do anything about controlling smoking while indoors. Unlike Europe and the United States, smoking is perfectly accepted in most all Japanese bars and restaurants. Maybe one day they’ll fix that too.

Walking While Eating or Drinking

While not as dangerous as smoking while in public, eating and drinking while walking is also considered kind of a low class thing to do in Japan. You’d think it would be just the opposite with the abundance of vending machines they have over there, but it is quite the contrary.

It’s not quite as rude as it used to be, but it’s still considered to be kind of lousy. More often than not, when people use a vending machine they will just hang around the machine until they are done with their drink or snack and then continue on their way. Makes sense that a lot of these machines have started to implement free Wi-Fi.

When my friends and I were studying abroad in Kobe, we would head down to the local Lawson, one of Japan’s many fantastic convenience stores, get some breakfast foods, and eat them on our way back to the dorm. It was far from unusual for us to get some strange looks from the locals while doing so.

So what do you think about these social conventions in Japan? Think your country would benefit from any of them? I know I’d sure love it if America was more polite with their public smoking habits. Let us know in the comments!

[Header Image]

1. Use Your Chopsticks Improperly Or, Better Yet, Don’t Even Try to Use Them at All

So you survived your train ride and now you’re looking for some grub. You find a nearby restaurant and plop your gaijin keister down at the nearest table. Before you know it, your food has arrived! (For the sake of performance, lets assume you’re with a few of your Japanese friends.) You break open your chopsticks and rub them together vigorously to show that you believe the chopsticks (as well as the establishment) are cheap.

Since you’re a baka gaijin, you never learned how to use chopsticks properly and you just start awkwardly spearing your food with the ends of the chopsticks. As long as the food makes its way to your mouth it’s all good, right? But before you know it, your hand starts cramping up and you need to throw in the towel and just ask for a fork and knife. Who uses chopsticks anyway, amirite?

Not even attempting to use chopsticks properly is always a good way to show Japanese people that you don’t really care about enveloping yourself in the culture. But hey, at least you actually used them for a little bit, right?

2. Or, Do Everything You Can to Insult People With Your Chopsticks

Okay, so maybe you didn’t give up on the chopsticks but instead decided to tough it out for the whole meal. Good for you. Now we have lots more opportunities to offend everyone. You’re gonna wanna make sure you point at people with your chopsticks when you’re talking to them, move your plates around with your chopsticks, and wave them about in the air like you’ve never seen two sticks before in your life.

And then when you’re done with your chopsticks you can just stick them straight up in your rice. I mean, hey, you don’t know that this is something that’s only done as funeral offerings, I’m sure your friends will forgive you eventually.

As you can tell, there are plenty, and I mean plenty of things you can do with your chopsticks to show everyone around you how baka and how gaijin you be. Just by following steps one and two here I highly doubt anyone will question your baka gaijin-ness as far as eating goes. But just in case, I’ve added some more tips below.

3. Be Sure to Eat Like a Barbarian

You’re a gaijin. Gaijin are always hungry. You need to get that food in your mouth and you need to get it there now. This is no time for manners. So make sure you take food from the community plates and bowls with the ends of the chopsticks you’ve already had stuck in your slobbery gaijin mouth. Japanese people don’t believe in germs. It’s against their religion.

And when you want to cut your food with your chopsticks, you might as well not even bother and just spear that slab of meat and eat the darn thing whole. No point in using finesse and dexterity to masterfully pull it apart using the controlled force of your chopsticks. I mean, the food all ends up in the same place anyway.

This step just kind of boils down to table manners in general, but some gaijin can get thrown off by chopsticks and they can sometimes forget how to live their lives like humans. If you really don’t feel like you can handle being polite with chopsticks, might as well throw in the towel and just use silverware. No one will think you’re a lazy gaijin who believes they’re too good to experience things in another culture. No worries.

4. Get Super Wasted and Embarrass Everyone

Since we’ve discussed a lot of ways you can promote your baka gaijinity with food, lets move onto the drinks. As with the last step, this one is kind of just common sense in all cultures, but for some reason gaijin do on occasion believe that travelling to a new country is a free pass to get super wasted in public for no raisin. I’ve seen it happen.

So you’re with your friends and they all want to see how much the big burly gaijin can handle so you drink way too much and start being noisy and falling out of your seat and just making a big ruckus. Your friends have had a bit to drink too but at least they have the decency to keep their shirts on and not try to ask the waitress out on a date. She doesn’t even understand English. Leave her alone, will ya?

Most of the time I feel that gaijin will be able to save themselves from drinking too much except when it comes to nomihoudai (all you can drink). A popular concept in Japan is paying a flat fee for a certain amount of time and just being able to drink all you want in that time period. This is a very, very dangerous thing. Many people will take this opportunity to just drink way more than they would normally. I mean, you gotta get your money’s worth, right?

Remember, Manners Don’t Exist Outside Your Home Country

The best way to show people what a baka gaijin you are around the dinner table is just to pretend like using chopsticks and having to deal with all you can drink establishments is too much for your baka brain to handle and you just forget how to eat and drink like a civilized human. So get out there and spear your food, drink your many drinks, and show everyone how being in a new country makes you forget that table manners are a thing**

And for those of you who want a more cut and dry explanation of table manners in Japan…

Japanese Table Manners from Japan-Guide.com
Japanese Chopsticks How-To from Japan-Guide.com
How to Drink in Japan from me. You’re welcome :)

So tell me, have you or anyone else really embarrassed themselves at the dinner table in Japan? I haven’t seen anyone do it really bad at dinner, but one time at all-you-can-drink-karaoke, one of our friends had way way too much to drink. It was messy. Nomihoudai is a scary thing.

[Header Image]

**Please realize that this post is mostly satire and is supposed to be funny. I am aware that gaijin are not the only ones who perform the faux pas in this series of baka gaijin posts. They are just meant to draw attention to some mistakes people might make while in Japan in a humorous manner.
Hugs and kisses <3 J

Kobayashi’s career has been going strong for over a decade now, beating wave after wave of hungry, fat Americans to claim numerous eating titles. Where did this guy get his start?

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

Nothing has made Kobayashi more famous than his incredible success in the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.

This competition, held every year on July 4 in Coney Island, gained fame in the 90s when a handful of other competitive Japanese eaters came onto the scene.

Historically, Americans had reigned supreme at Nathan’s, so it was a bit of a surprise when some skinny Japanese guys started winning.

But nothing could prepare the world for Kobayashi’s hot-dog dominance.

From 2001 to 2006, Kobayashi went undefeated in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, owning the competition and setting five world records for hot dog eating in the process. For those six years, he was untouchable.

Celebrity

In the process of winning all those titles, Kobayashi became a minor celebrity in the US. He appeared on a TV show to compete with a bear in a hot dog eating contest. For the record, the bear won – but it’s claimed that Kobayashi beat the bear in rehearsal.

Downfall

But there have been definite dark spots in Kobayashi’s career in consumption as well.

He lost his hot dog eating title a few years back in a stunning defeat, and actually is banned from Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest due to contracting disputes. In 2010, Kobayashi was arrested at the hot dog eating contest he once reigned over.

There were rumors that Kobayashi had even retired from eating altogether.

Return and the Wing Bowl

Recently though, things are looking up for Kobayashi. Even thought he’s been barred from competing at Nathan’s, he continues to dominate other eating contests. Last year, he ate along to a live broadcast of the Nathan’s contest and not only beat the winner, but set a new world record.

He’s been interviewed on Reddit and fashion magazine The Block, where his shirtless photo spreads made him look more like a model than a guy who eats things for a living.

And the Wing Bowl? That’s the cherry on top to his comeback.

While this video of Kobayashi’s Wing Bowl entrance shows that he doesn’t always get the warmest reception, Kobayashi remains resilient.

The boos and jeers shouldn’t get Kobayashi down; he’s been through a lot more. Having gone to the top of the competitive eating world and back, been beaten, turned back and even arrested, the only thing Kobayashi should worry about is maybe some indigestion.

[Header image source]